12 



went ti)e length of asserting that one Spider not only caught, but 

 devoured small birds ; and figured the Mi/gale avicularia, Walcken., 

 in the act of preying on a Humming-bird. Now the Mygale does 

 not spin a net, but resides in tubes under ground, and in all its 

 movements kee|)s close to the earth; while Humming-birds never 

 perch except on branches. The food of Mygale consists oi Juli, 

 Porcelliones, subterranean AchetcE, and Blattce : a living Humming- 

 bird and a small Anolis, placed in one of its tubes, were not only 

 not eaten by the Spider, but the latter actually quitted its hole, which 

 it left in possession of the intruders. The largest Spider of the West 

 Indies that spins a geometrical web is the Nephila clavipes, Leach; 

 and its net may perhaps, occasionally, be strong enough to arrest 

 the smaller among the Humming-birds : but it is not likely that the 

 Spider would eat the birds. A small species of Sphariodactylus, Cuv., 

 introduced into one of these nets, was enveloped in the usual man- 

 ner by the Spider; but as soon as the operation was completed, the 

 Spider lost no time in cutting the line and allowing her prisoner to 

 fall to the ground. Mr. MacLeay consequently disbelieves the 

 existence of any bird-catching Spider. 



The Paper was accompanied throughout by numerous notes, in- 

 cluding observations on many subjects adverted to by the author; 

 such as the habits of the land-Crabs of Cuba; a description of the 

 grey Lizard oi the coast, apparently a species oi Jgama; &c. They 

 also included an account of two species of Sphceriodactylus, Cur., 

 which are characterized as follows: 



Sph^riodactvlus cinereus. Splicer, caudd corporis longitudine ; 



totus cinereus, translncidus, capitejlaviori, apice rosea ; squamis 



dorsalibus jmnctis minutissimis nigris aspersis. 

 Long. tot. 24 unc. 

 This may possibly be the small house Lizard of Browne's Jamaica. 



SPHiERiODACTYLUs ELEGANS. SphcEr.JascHs dorsoUbus transversis 

 nigris 14; capite cceruleo-cinereo, subtus iiigro-fosciato ; dorso 

 subviridi; caudd rubrd, corpore breviore ; ventre cinereo. 



Long. tot. 1^ unc. 



Both these Lizards are very common in houses in Cuba, occur- 

 ring among books or wherever they can find shelter. They have 

 bright eyes, are pretty and very harmless, and come out of their 

 corners in rainy weather, declaring war against everything in the 

 shape of a fly or musquitoe, 



'J'he Paper was also accompanied by drawings of the egg, larva, 

 and pupa of Urania Fernandince, which were exhibited. 



